Racial differences in self-rated health diminishing from 1972 to 2008

In addition to higher morbidity and mortality, Black adults have reported lower self-rated health than White adults. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diminishing difference in self-rated health between races from 1972 to 2008. Data from 37,936 participants over a 36-year span of the General Social Survey were used to evaluate the effects of race and time on self-rated health. Results confirmed that Black adults reported significantly worse health than White adults. Overall health was rated slightly better across both groups as time went on (\( \hat{\beta } \) = .002, P < .0005). However, this increase in health ratings has slowed, even reversing with a decline in health ratings as of late (\( \hat{\beta } \) = −.014, P = .001). Significant interactions between race and time indicated that the racial difference on this self-rated health measure has changed over time. The rate of change in the difference has slowed over time (\( \hat{\beta } \) = −.010, P = .021), suggesting that the reduction in the racial difference in self-rated health may be decelerating.